The Mixed Surface Analysis map shows a comprehensive analysis of current conditions and fronts at ground level using radar and infrared satellite imagery. The Surface Analysis loop animation shows sequential maps at 3 hour intervals for the past 18 hours. A surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations. Weather maps are created by plotting or tracing the values of relevant quantities such as sea level pressure, temperature, and cloud cover onto a geographical map to help find synoptic scale features such as weather fronts.